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2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan
<br />Kittitas County, Washington
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<br />Chapter 4: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment 214
<br />Event Summary
<br />H1N1 Pandemic
<br />(2009 – 2010)
<br />In April 2009, a novel influenza A virus emerged causing the first global flu pandemic in 40
<br />years. The first infection was detected on April 15, 2009, in California. Two (2) days later,
<br />another case was detected 130 miles from the first case, with no know n connection to the
<br />previous patient. Cases continued to rise globally and on June 11, 2009, the WHO declared
<br />a pandemic. The first H1N1 vaccines were given in the United States on October 5, 2009.
<br />In late October, Influenza cases reached their highest level in reporting with 48 states
<br />reporting widespread activity. From April 12, 2009, to April 10, 2010, the CDC estimated
<br />approximately 60.8 million cases and 12,469 deaths in the United States. The WHO
<br />announced the end of the pandemic on August 11, 2010.285F
<br />286 However, H1N1 virus continues
<br />to circulate as a seasonal flu virus, causing illness, hospitalizations, and deaths worldwide
<br />every year.
<br />COVID-19
<br />Pandemic
<br />(2019 – 2023)
<br />The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by infection with a
<br />coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. On December 12, 2019, a cluster of patients in China’s
<br />Hubei Province, in the city of Wuhan, began experiencing symptoms of an atypical
<br />pneumonia-like illness that was not responding to standard treatments. Cases continue to
<br />rise across Wuhan and all initial cases are connected to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale
<br />Market. The first case in the United States was confirmed on January 20, 2020, in the State
<br />of Washington. On March 11, 2020, after more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries and
<br />4,291 deaths, the WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.286F
<br />287 COVID-19 continued to quickly
<br />spread worldwide forcing countries to go under lockdown and impacted the availability of
<br />personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical personnel and the general public. The first
<br />COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December
<br />18, 2020. Viruses are constantly changing. In 2021 and throughout 2022, the pandemic was
<br />ongoing as the virus continued to mutate creating new strains affecting changes in how fast
<br />the virus spreads, the severity of the illness, and effectiveness of treatments against is. On
<br />May 11, 2023, the Federal Public Health Emergency ended. On August 2, 2023, there have
<br />been 768,983,095 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (103,436,829 in the United States) and
<br />11,740,993 deaths (1,127,152 in the United States) worldwide.287F
<br />288
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<br />The COVID-19 pandemic required many communities to address the need for extensive
<br />situational awareness and coordinated planning; increased coordination across all
<br />disciplines (i.e., philanthropic, business and schools) at an unprecedented scale; public
<br />information and warning; reopening strategies; public health orders; resource support;
<br />addressing essential staff limitations/shortages across key health and medical sectors
<br />during various phases of the pandemic; limited public health laboratory testing earl y in the
<br />pandemic; contact tracing and investigation; fatality management; medical countermeasure
<br />dispensing and administration, specifically vaccine planning and distribution; medical surge;
<br />ongoing resupply of PPE; and community and economic recovery.
<br />Vulnerability and Impacts
<br />Life Safety and Health: Communicable diseases/pandemics have a significant impact on life safety and
<br />health. These emergencies often result in increased morbidity and mortality rates, posing a threat to the
<br />well-being of individuals and communities. Communicable diseases can spread rapidly causing
<br />widespread illness and potentially overwhelming healthcare systems. Public health emergencies may
<br />also disrupt routine healthcare services, delay access to necessary treatments, and hinder the
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<br />286 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Timeline. Retrieved from
<br />https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-pandemic-timeline.html.
<br />287 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). CDC Museum COVID-19 Timeline. Retrieved from
<br />https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html.
<br />288 World Health Organization. (n.d.). WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. Retrieved from
<br />https://covid19.who.int/.
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